US7275775B2 - Crash acceleration pulse control block for vehicle - Google Patents

Crash acceleration pulse control block for vehicle Download PDF

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Publication number
US7275775B2
US7275775B2 US11/292,756 US29275605A US7275775B2 US 7275775 B2 US7275775 B2 US 7275775B2 US 29275605 A US29275605 A US 29275605A US 7275775 B2 US7275775 B2 US 7275775B2
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
vehicle
crash
crash acceleration
acceleration
pulse control
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Fee Related, expires
Application number
US11/292,756
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English (en)
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US20060113779A1 (en
Inventor
Kwan Hum Park
Nak Seung Chung
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Hyundai Motor Co
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Hyundai Motor Co
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Publication date
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Assigned to HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY reassignment HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: CHUNG, NAK SEUNG, PARK, KWAN HUM
Publication of US20060113779A1 publication Critical patent/US20060113779A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US7275775B2 publication Critical patent/US7275775B2/en
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01P—MEASURING LINEAR OR ANGULAR SPEED, ACCELERATION, DECELERATION, OR SHOCK; INDICATING PRESENCE, ABSENCE, OR DIRECTION, OF MOVEMENT
    • G01P15/00—Measuring acceleration; Measuring deceleration; Measuring shock, i.e. sudden change of acceleration
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
    • B60R21/01—Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents
    • B60R21/013—Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
    • B60R21/0136—Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over responsive to actual contact with an obstacle, e.g. to vehicle deformation, bumper displacement or bumper velocity relative to the vehicle
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R19/00—Wheel guards; Radiator guards, e.g. grilles; Obstruction removers; Fittings damping bouncing force in collisions
    • B60R19/02—Bumpers, i.e. impact receiving or absorbing members for protecting vehicles or fending off blows from other vehicles or objects
    • B60R19/18—Bumpers, i.e. impact receiving or absorbing members for protecting vehicles or fending off blows from other vehicles or objects characterised by the cross-section; Means within the bumper to absorb impact
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
    • B60R21/01—Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents
    • B60R21/013—Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
    • B60R21/0132—Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over responsive to vehicle motion parameters, e.g. to vehicle longitudinal or transversal deceleration or speed value

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a crash acceleration pulse control block for a vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to a crash acceleration pulse control block confirmed to provide reliable initial crash acceleration data even in situations where the engine specification or the vehicle weight have been changed to thereby more accurately deploy an airbag.
  • an airbag unit operates when a vehicle accident occurs in order to deploy an airbag according to the crash detected by the airbag unit.
  • the airbag unit deploys the airbag so as to reduce impact applied to the occupant through the impact absorbing performance of the airbag.
  • an ACU airbag control unit
  • Acceleration of the vehicle detected by the ACU is converted into velocity and vibration energy as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 through a digital data process, such as filtering.
  • the ACU deploys the airbag.
  • the vehicle crash occurs with low acceleration, as represented in FIG. 6 with a dotted line, relatively low velocity and vibration energy data are detained. These low valves are potentially below the critical line as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 (dashed line), so the ACU may not deploy the airbag.
  • the level of the vehicle crash is determined according to the level of acceleration detected by means of an accelerometer of the ACU installed in the vehicle.
  • the airbag is deployed depending on the level of acceleration detected by means of an accelerometer.
  • the level of acceleration caused by the vehicle crash is prominently represented so that the ACU can easily determine the deployment of the airbag.
  • the level of acceleration may be determined depending on rigidity and the contact area between vehicles, so relatively low initial acceleration may be represented in general. This means that the vehicles have low rigidity and the contact area between the vehicles is small, so that the vehicles subject to such a crash represent the level of acceleration significantly lower than that of the vehicles colliding with the rigid wall under the same crash velocity condition. If the level of initial acceleration of the vehicle is small, the ACU may not deploy the airbag, causing damage to the occupants.
  • Another problem of the prior art is derived from mass production of the vehicles. That is, since various kinds of engines and optional components are installed in the vehicles having the same chassis, vehicles may be equipped with engines and optional components having the different weight. For this reason, acceleration variation may occur in a range of about 10% even if the crash test is performed using vehicles having the same vehicle class under the same crash velocity. Thus, it is difficult for the ACU to determine the deployment of the airbag.
  • Embodiments of, the present invention provide a crash acceleration pulse control block for a vehicle with an auxiliary mounting unit, such as an auxiliary back beam or a block structure having a honeycomb shaped section.
  • the auxiliary mounting unit is capable of adjusting the crash contact area while serving as a bumper.
  • the unit may be installed at a front portion of a radiator lower member to obtain reliable initial crash acceleration of the vehicle, which is an important factor for determining the deployment of the airbag, even if the engine specification and the vehicle weight are changed. In this manner the air bag is more accurately deployed according to the sensing operation of the airbag sensor when a vehicle accident occurs.
  • An exemplary embodiment of, the present invention includes a crash acceleration pulse control block of a vehicle comprising: an auxiliary mounting unit installed at a front portion of the vehicle to absorb impact energy applied to the vehicle when a vehicle accident occurs, wherein the auxiliary mounting unit adjusts a crash contact area of the vehicle in order to allow an airbag to be accurately deployed based on reliable initial crash acceleration of the vehicle even if an engine specification and a vehicle weight are changed.
  • the auxiliary mounting unit includes a combination type block structure having a honeycomb shaped section, in which a number of blocks provided in the combination type block structure is adjustable according to a vehicle specification so as to adjust a level of initial crash acceleration of the vehicle when the vehicle accident occurs.
  • the auxiliary mounting unit includes an auxiliary bumper back beam in the form of a bar having a predetermined length, in which a sectional area of the bar is adjustable or a material for the bar is changeable according to a vehicle specification so as to adjust a level of initial crash acceleration of the vehicle when the vehicle accident occurs.
  • FIGS. 1 and 2 are partial perspective views of a vehicle illustrating a crash acceleration pulse control block according to one embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 3 is a graph illustrating variation in initial acceleration between the prior art and the present invention having a crash acceleration pulse control block
  • FIG. 4 is a graph illustrating initial acceleration as a function of crash velocity between the prior art and the present invention
  • FIG. 5 is a graph illustrating initial acceleration as a function of crash contact area between the prior art and the present invention
  • FIG. 6 is a graph illustrating acceleration as a function of time when a vehicle crash occurs
  • FIG. 7 is a graph illustrating velocity as a function of time, in which the velocity is calculated based on acceleration shown in FIG. 6 ;
  • FIG. 8 is a graph illustrating energy as a function of time, in which the energy is calculated based on acceleration shown in FIG. 6 .
  • an auxiliary mounting unit is installed at a lower portion of a bumper provided at a front portion of a vehicle to obtain reliable initial crash acceleration of the vehicle even if the engine specification and the vehicle weight are changed, thereby accurately deploying an airbag based on the reliable initial crash acceleration of the vehicle, which is an important factor for determining the deployment of the airbag.
  • embodiments of the present invention increase the level of initial acceleration according to crash velocity in order to accurately determine the deployment of an airbag.
  • the chassis of the vehicle is made from a rigid member or the crash contact area of the vehicle is enlarged.
  • the chassis of the vehicle is made from the rigid member, the vehicle weight increases.
  • the vehicle having the chassis made from the rigid member may harm other vehicles and present inferior crash energy absorption performance when a vehicle accident occurs, thereby injuring occupants in the vehicle. Therefore, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the crash contact area of the vehicle is enlarged while improving crash energy absorption performance of the vehicle when the vehicle accident occurs.
  • Embodiments of the present invention are realized by utilizing characteristics of a front portion of the vehicle including a bumper.
  • auxiliary mounting units are installed at front portions of vehicles having different specifications and using the same chassis, thereby allowing the vehicles to represent similar initial crash acceleration under the same crash condition.
  • a combination type block structure 20 having a honeycomb shaped section with a predetermined length is provided as an auxiliary mounting unit.
  • the number of blocks provided in the block structure 20 can be adjusted according to the vehicle specifications or vehicle classes so as to adjust the level of initial acceleration when the vehicle accident occurs.
  • the block structure 20 may be made from plastic, aluminum or steel and may be installed between a front portion of a radiator lower member and a lower end of a bumper cover of the vehicle.
  • the auxiliary mounting unit is provided as an auxiliary back beam 10 in the form of a bar having a predetermined length and made from, for example, aluminum, steel or magnesium.
  • the sectional area of the bar having the predetermined length can be adjusted or the material for the bar can be changed according to the specifications of the vehicles such that initial crash acceleration of the vehicles can be adjusted.
  • the auxiliary back beam 10 is installed at the front portion of the radiator lower member of the vehicle.
  • the auxiliary back beam 10 is installed in a space section formed at a lower end of a bumper back beam.
  • FIG. 3 is a graph illustrating variation of initial crash acceleration between the prior art and the present invention having the crash acceleration pulse control block. As can be understood from FIG. 3 , the initial crash acceleration of the present invention is higher than that of the prior art.
  • the initial crash acceleration of the vehicle is influenced by initial crash velocity and the crash contact area of the vehicle. According to the present invention, if the initial crash velocity and the crash contact area of the vehicle increase, the initial crash acceleration of the vehicle is also increased, so that the ACU an accurately determine the deployment time of the airbag.
  • the present invention provides the auxiliary mounting unit installed at the front portion of the vehicle according to the engine specification and vehicle weight, so that it is possible to design the vehicle by taking the initial crash acceleration of the vehicle upon the frontal crash or offset crash of the vehicle into consideration.
  • the airbag sensor can be stably operated to deploy the airbag according to the initial crash acceleration of the vehicle.
  • the crash acceleration pulse control block of the vehicle according to the present invention has advantages as follows:
  • crash energy is absorbed by means of the airbag at the initial stage of crash so that an acceleration value potentially contributing to injury of the occupants can be reduced.
  • vehicles having different vehicle specifications and using the same chassis may generate similar initial crash acceleration, so that the ACU can reliably determine the level of crash.
  • impact applied to the vehicle is distributed over a relatively large area of the vehicle, thereby potentially reducing injury to pedestrians subject to the vehicle accident.
US11/292,756 2004-12-01 2005-12-01 Crash acceleration pulse control block for vehicle Expired - Fee Related US7275775B2 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
KR2004-0099640 2004-12-01
KR1020040099640A KR100980981B1 (ko) 2004-12-01 2004-12-01 자동차의 충돌 가속도 조절부재

Publications (2)

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US20060113779A1 US20060113779A1 (en) 2006-06-01
US7275775B2 true US7275775B2 (en) 2007-10-02

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US11/292,756 Expired - Fee Related US7275775B2 (en) 2004-12-01 2005-12-01 Crash acceleration pulse control block for vehicle

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US7275775B2 (ko)
KR (1) KR100980981B1 (ko)
CN (1) CN1781766A (ko)
DE (1) DE102005056078B4 (ko)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20140151990A1 (en) * 2012-12-05 2014-06-05 Hyundai Motor Company External airbag apparatus
US9758118B2 (en) 2014-11-26 2017-09-12 Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. Bumpers including energy diverting bumper structures and vehicles incorporating the same
US10442365B2 (en) 2014-06-13 2019-10-15 Ford Global Technologies, Llc Apparatus and methods for vehicle structural or semi-structural component assembly enabling tunable deceleration characteristics

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN102004163B (zh) * 2010-09-14 2013-05-22 陆昌平 客车、卡车、摩托车碰撞速度表
DE102014101614B4 (de) 2013-11-19 2021-09-23 Dr. Ing. H.C. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft Verfahren zur Montage einer Vorrichtung zur Weiterleitung eines Aufprallimpulses
JP6617625B2 (ja) * 2016-03-18 2019-12-11 スズキ株式会社 車両の前部構造

Citations (15)

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US5425561A (en) * 1993-12-21 1995-06-20 General Motors Corporation Flexible insert for an automotive bumper
US5560662A (en) * 1993-12-29 1996-10-01 Boda Industries, Inc. Vehicle bumper cover
US6547295B2 (en) * 2000-10-18 2003-04-15 Adlev S.R.L. Impact energy absorption system for vehicles
US6609740B2 (en) * 2001-04-16 2003-08-26 Shape Corporation Bumper system with face-mounted energy absorber
US6644701B2 (en) * 2002-01-14 2003-11-11 Shape Corporation Bumper energy absorber with foam and non-foam pieces
US6685243B1 (en) * 2002-07-30 2004-02-03 Shape Corporation Bumper for reducing pedestrian injury
US6726262B2 (en) * 2001-10-29 2004-04-27 General Electric Company Bumper assembly including an energy absorber
US6746061B1 (en) * 2003-02-04 2004-06-08 Shape Corporation Bumper beam with interference-fit energy absorber
US6866313B2 (en) * 2002-07-30 2005-03-15 General Electric Co. Bumper assembly including and energy absorber
US20050089674A1 (en) * 2003-10-22 2005-04-28 Zander Robert J. Molded foam vehicle energy absorbing device and method of manufacture
US20060001278A1 (en) * 2004-07-01 2006-01-05 Netshape International Llc Bumper impact-testing device
US20060043743A1 (en) * 2004-08-24 2006-03-02 Shuler Stephen F Bumper assembly including twin energy absorbers
US20060055187A1 (en) * 2004-09-14 2006-03-16 Jaarda Eric J Bumper assembly including energy absorber with vertical translation crush lobes
US20060082169A1 (en) * 2004-10-16 2006-04-20 Audi Ag Bumper system for a motor vehicle
US20060125250A1 (en) * 2004-12-13 2006-06-15 Darin Evans Bumper for pedestrian impact having thermoformed energy absorber

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
KR0143329B1 (ko) * 1995-09-06 1998-08-01 전성원 자동차의 차체 강성 보강장치
JP3873818B2 (ja) * 2002-06-06 2007-01-31 日産自動車株式会社 車体前部構造
DE10227742A1 (de) * 2002-06-21 2004-01-15 Benteler Automobiltechnik Gmbh Kraftfahrzeug

Patent Citations (16)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5425561A (en) * 1993-12-21 1995-06-20 General Motors Corporation Flexible insert for an automotive bumper
US5560662A (en) * 1993-12-29 1996-10-01 Boda Industries, Inc. Vehicle bumper cover
US6547295B2 (en) * 2000-10-18 2003-04-15 Adlev S.R.L. Impact energy absorption system for vehicles
US6609740B2 (en) * 2001-04-16 2003-08-26 Shape Corporation Bumper system with face-mounted energy absorber
US6726262B2 (en) * 2001-10-29 2004-04-27 General Electric Company Bumper assembly including an energy absorber
US6644701B2 (en) * 2002-01-14 2003-11-11 Shape Corporation Bumper energy absorber with foam and non-foam pieces
US6866313B2 (en) * 2002-07-30 2005-03-15 General Electric Co. Bumper assembly including and energy absorber
US6685243B1 (en) * 2002-07-30 2004-02-03 Shape Corporation Bumper for reducing pedestrian injury
US6746061B1 (en) * 2003-02-04 2004-06-08 Shape Corporation Bumper beam with interference-fit energy absorber
US20050089674A1 (en) * 2003-10-22 2005-04-28 Zander Robert J. Molded foam vehicle energy absorbing device and method of manufacture
US20060001278A1 (en) * 2004-07-01 2006-01-05 Netshape International Llc Bumper impact-testing device
US20060043743A1 (en) * 2004-08-24 2006-03-02 Shuler Stephen F Bumper assembly including twin energy absorbers
US7086690B2 (en) * 2004-08-24 2006-08-08 General Electric Company Bumper assembly including twin energy absorbers
US20060055187A1 (en) * 2004-09-14 2006-03-16 Jaarda Eric J Bumper assembly including energy absorber with vertical translation crush lobes
US20060082169A1 (en) * 2004-10-16 2006-04-20 Audi Ag Bumper system for a motor vehicle
US20060125250A1 (en) * 2004-12-13 2006-06-15 Darin Evans Bumper for pedestrian impact having thermoformed energy absorber

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20140151990A1 (en) * 2012-12-05 2014-06-05 Hyundai Motor Company External airbag apparatus
US8991860B2 (en) * 2012-12-05 2015-03-31 Hyundai Motor Company External airbag apparatus
US10442365B2 (en) 2014-06-13 2019-10-15 Ford Global Technologies, Llc Apparatus and methods for vehicle structural or semi-structural component assembly enabling tunable deceleration characteristics
US9758118B2 (en) 2014-11-26 2017-09-12 Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. Bumpers including energy diverting bumper structures and vehicles incorporating the same

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE102005056078A1 (de) 2006-06-14
US20060113779A1 (en) 2006-06-01
DE102005056078B4 (de) 2007-11-22
CN1781766A (zh) 2006-06-07
KR20060060856A (ko) 2006-06-07
KR100980981B1 (ko) 2010-09-07

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